This invention relates to a feeding apparatus for breathing masks that allows food and drink intake when the mask is in use, does not reduce the wearer""s field of vision, requires little space, and is protected from dirt or other contamination.
The state of the art includes solutions in which feeding valves are equipped with a drinking hose, and wherein said drinking hose can be moved into the mask wearer""s field of vision (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,261). The disadvantages of such a solution are that there is a risk of dirtying or other contamination if the feeding apparatus is opened, and a risk of damaging the hose in use.
Breathing masks are used in practice that feature a feeding valve for food intake without a hose being connected to the mask. Such solutions have been described in DE 37 08 077 A1, DE-OS 2321 607, and DE-OS 23 21 344. But these solutions require the wearer of the mask to insert the drinking hose that comes with the food bottle into the feeding valve without being able to see it, and so accidental contact with the breathing mask and the risk of dirtying or other contamination cannot be ruled out.
It is the problem of this invention to provide a feeding apparatus for breathing masks that does not reduce the wearer""s field of vision, is protected from dirt or other contamination and allows for contamination-free insertion of a drinking cannula, if required.
The object of this invention was to provide a low-cost and safe solution for a feeding apparatus on a breathing mask.
The problem of the invention was solved by placing a pivoting check valve that lightly encompasses a hollow axle designed as a feeder fitting on the outside of the breathing mask. The hollow shaft of the feeding apparatus is equipped with a hose and mouthpiece on its end inside the breathing mask. This design enables a mask wearer to turn the check valve into his or her field of vision for easy insertion of the drinking cannula of a food or beverage bottle even when wearing protective gloves. When turning the hose connector into the wearer""s field of vision according to the invention, the hose and mouth piece unit inside the breathing mask is moved towards the wearer""s mouth, facilitating easy and convenient food intake.
Placing the check valve behind a sealing cap prevents the feeding apparatus from dirtying or any other contamination. The solution according to the invention ensures that the mask wearer""s field of vision is not reduced in any way by the feeding apparatus, neither from the inside nor the outside of the mask, and that the feeding apparatus requires only little space when not in use. Sealing the check valve provides additional protection against dirt or any other contamination.